Best Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce Ever

Method5 steps · about 40 min

1. 1

   Step 1: For fresh date tomatoes, blend half and press through a sieve to remove skins and seeds, then crush and sieve the other half. For canned whole tomatoes (600–700 g), press the tomatoes and their juice through the sieve. If using larger fresh San Marzano tomatoes, blanch and peel them first, then blend and sieve as above. The resulting sauce should be fairly watery before cooking.

   Uses 600–700 g whole tomatoes, blended and sieved · Water only for blanching larger fresh tomatoes if that alternative is chosen

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Peel the garlic and cook in the olive oil (2–3 tbsp) until it starts to soften. Add the tomato sauce and cook for about 5-10 minutes over a medium heat.

   Uses Prepared tomato puree from step 1 · 2 peeled cloves · 2–3 tbsp olive oil

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Choose one pasta-cooking route. For direct cooking, add the uncooked 360 g spaghetti to the prepared tomato sauce. Let it soften before stirring gently to avoid snapping the strands, then stir frequently as for risotto. Continue at step 4. For the parboiled alternative, skip steps 3–4 and follow step 5 instead.

   Uses Prepared sauce from step 2 · 360 g spaghetti for direct-cook route · Only add unmeasured water if sauce dries during direct cooking

4. 4

   Step 4: Continue stirring the direct-cooked spaghetti until al dente. Add a little water as needed if the sauce becomes too dry; the pasta starch should thicken the sauce. Season with salt and serve immediately with fresh basil and optional grated cheese. The direct-cooked dish is now finished; skip the alternative in step 5.

   Uses Spaghetti cooking in tomato sauce; season to taste · Salt to taste · Fresh basil as required · Optional grated cheese for serving; amount unstated · Additional water only if the direct-cooked sauce needs it; quantity unstated

   
5. 5

   Step 5: For the alternative to steps 3–4, parboil the same 360 g spaghetti in salted boiling water for 4–5 minutes. Reserve a little cooking water, drain and transfer the pasta to the tomato sauce from step 2. Finish cooking in the sauce, stirring gently and adding reserved water only if needed. Season with salt and serve immediately with fresh basil and optional grated cheese.

   Parboil spaghetti · 5 minUses Same 360 g spaghetti, this is an optional parboil alternative to step 3 · Unmeasured boiling water for optional parboiling; reserve a little cooking water · Salt the optional pasta water · Prepared sauce from step 2 for finishing parboiled pasta · Fresh basil to serve with the parboiled route · Optional grated cheese to serve with the parboiled route